9 ways to hack your morning routine

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1. Follow your biological clock. Get in the groove of your circadian rhythm by following this rule of thumb: Count 7-8 hours back from your ideal wake-up time, and go. To. Bed. Keep it consistent, and you'll find in no time that you'll naturally wake up at the same time every morning, feeling totally refreshed. It's pretty amazing—you'll see that sometimes you even beat your alarm. (Yes, even on weekends. You've been given the gift of time. Go run some errands!)

PHOTO: tam2013, flickr

2 of 9

2. Don't hit that snooze button. DON'T DO IT. It's in the name of the science detailed above, as well as this other thing called sleep inertia. Basically, when your alarm first goes off, your body reacts with a hit of adrenaline. If you decide to ignore that, so will your body the next time you hear the alarm—and you'll feel good and groggy rather than bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

PHOTO: barkbud, flickr

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3. Establish a routine. Have a schedule that you stick to. It's probably not a stellar idea to jumpstart a long day at the office with complete chaos—especially when you can combat it with something like, say, um, breakfast.

PHOTO: liz west/calliope, flickr

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4. Go for a walk. It won't just get your heart pumping, fill your lungs with fresh air, and stimulate your digestive system (all before breakfast!)—studies show that it actually stimulates creativity. Take in the nature (or whatever your local scenery entails) and let your mind wander, and get inspired. And those Jawbone steps certainly count—it seems like scientistscan't stop naming benefits of exercising in the AM, anyway.

PHOTO: john-spade

5 of 9

5. Figure out what makes you tick. If I wake up in a fog, nothing—not even my beloved coffee—gets me going like a shower. Everyone is different, so figure out what'll get you stimulated and ready for the day. A quick trip to the dog park? Meditation? Push-ups? Sure.

PHOTO: Ophelia Meerschaut, flickr

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6. Lay out your clothes the night before. Even if you haven't done it since Mom made you in elementary school, planning your outfits can eliminate some serious stress. Your neighbor is probably sick of hearing you shriek "BUT I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAAARRRR," so do him and yourself a favor by picking out something cute before bed. If you're inspired to wear something different the next day, by all means, go for it, but now you'll have a backup plan that isn't the slightly dank dress you pulled out from your hamper.

PHOTO: ablight, flickr

7 of 9

7. Make a beauty grab-and-go bag. If you have a million products, it'll make your life so much easier if you keep a little satchel with your daily staples: Your favorite mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, whatever. You'd be amazed how many minutes (and aggravation!) you'll save when you don't have to dig through the nether regions of your vanity for that eyebrow pencil, which you SWEAR you JUST SAW.

PHOTO: DadOneNineSevenEight/niceletters, flickr

8 of 9

8. EAT. Do not tell me that you're "not a breakfast person." Do not pass go, do not collect $200. There are about a million studies that show the benefits of eating a solid meal in the morning and a million more that show why it's bad not to. Pick something healthy and delicious that you know will fill you up, since you have a full day ahead of you, and this is the energy that will get you through it. Plus, making yourself a nice meal and sitting down to enjoy it is a great thing to add to that routine we talked about in number three. (Ryan Gosling, you're cute, but eat your damn cereal.)

PHOTO: withwind, flickr

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9 of 9

9. Keys, wallet, phone. REPEAT. Put a hook on the wall by the door for your keys and a little bowl or shelf for everything else. Get this doormat. Put up a neon sign. Getting locked out of your apartment, not being able to pay for lunch, or call in the case of an emergency because you weren't thinking for 0.5 seconds just really isn't cute.

1. Follow your biological clock. Get in the groove of your circadian rhythm by following this rule of thumb: Count 7-8 hours back from your ideal wake-up time, and go. To. Bed. Keep it consistent, and you'll find in no time that you'll naturally wake up at the same time every morning, feeling totally refreshed. It's pretty amazing—you'll see that sometimes you even beat your alarm. (Yes, even on weekends. You've been given the gift of time. Go run some errands!)

PHOTO: tam2013, flickr

2. Don't hit that snooze button. DON'T DO IT. It's in the name of the science detailed above, as well as this other thing called sleep inertia. Basically, when your alarm first goes off, your body reacts with a hit of adrenaline. If you decide to ignore that, so will your body the next time you hear the alarm—and you'll feel good and groggy rather than bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

PHOTO: barkbud, flickr

3. Establish a routine. Have a schedule that you stick to. It's probably not a stellar idea to jumpstart a long day at the office with complete chaos—especially when you can combat it with something like, say, um, breakfast.

PHOTO: liz west/calliope, flickr

4. Go for a walk. It won't just get your heart pumping, fill your lungs with fresh air, and stimulate your digestive system (all before breakfast!)—studies show that it actually stimulates creativity. Take in the nature (or whatever your local scenery entails) and let your mind wander, and get inspired. And those Jawbone steps certainly count—it seems like scientistscan't stop naming benefits of exercising in the AM, anyway.

PHOTO: john-spade

5. Figure out what makes you tick. If I wake up in a fog, nothing—not even my beloved coffee—gets me going like a shower. Everyone is different, so figure out what'll get you stimulated and ready for the day. A quick trip to the dog park? Meditation? Push-ups? Sure.

PHOTO: Ophelia Meerschaut, flickr

6. Lay out your clothes the night before. Even if you haven't done it since Mom made you in elementary school, planning your outfits can eliminate some serious stress. Your neighbor is probably sick of hearing you shriek "BUT I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAAARRRR," so do him and yourself a favor by picking out something cute before bed. If you're inspired to wear something different the next day, by all means, go for it, but now you'll have a backup plan that isn't the slightly dank dress you pulled out from your hamper.

PHOTO: ablight, flickr

7. Make a beauty grab-and-go bag. If you have a million products, it'll make your life so much easier if you keep a little satchel with your daily staples: Your favorite mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, whatever. You'd be amazed how many minutes (and aggravation!) you'll save when you don't have to dig through the nether regions of your vanity for that eyebrow pencil, which you SWEAR you JUST SAW.

PHOTO: DadOneNineSevenEight/niceletters, flickr

8. EAT. Do not tell me that you're "not a breakfast person." Do not pass go, do not collect $200. There are about a million studies that show the benefits of eating a solid meal in the morning and a million more that show why it's bad not to. Pick something healthy and delicious that you know will fill you up, since you have a full day ahead of you, and this is the energy that will get you through it. Plus, making yourself a nice meal and sitting down to enjoy it is a great thing to add to that routine we talked about in number three. (Ryan Gosling, you're cute, but eat your damn cereal.)

PHOTO: withwind, flickr

9. Keys, wallet, phone. REPEAT. Put a hook on the wall by the door for your keys and a little bowl or shelf for everything else. Get this doormat. Put up a neon sign. Getting locked out of your apartment, not being able to pay for lunch, or call in the case of an emergency because you weren't thinking for 0.5 seconds just really isn't cute.

1. Follow your biological clock. Get in the groove of your circadian rhythm by following this rule of thumb: Count 7-8 hours back from your ideal wake-up time, and go. To. Bed. Keep it consistent, and you'll find in no time that you'll naturally wake up at the same time every morning, feeling totally refreshed. It's pretty amazing—you'll see that sometimes you even beat your alarm. (Yes, even on weekends. You've been given the gift of time. Go run some errands!)

PHOTO: tam2013, flickr

2. Don't hit that snooze button. DON'T DO IT. It's in the name of the science detailed above, as well as this other thing called sleep inertia. Basically, when your alarm first goes off, your body reacts with a hit of adrenaline. If you decide to ignore that, so will your body the next time you hear the alarm—and you'll feel good and groggy rather than bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

PHOTO: barkbud, flickr

3. Establish a routine. Have a schedule that you stick to. It's probably not a stellar idea to jumpstart a long day at the office with complete chaos—especially when you can combat it with something like, say, um, breakfast.

PHOTO: liz west/calliope, flickr

4. Go for a walk. It won't just get your heart pumping, fill your lungs with fresh air, and stimulate your digestive system (all before breakfast!)—studies show that it actually stimulates creativity. Take in the nature (or whatever your local scenery entails) and let your mind wander, and get inspired. And those Jawbone steps certainly count—it seems like scientistscan't stop naming benefits of exercising in the AM, anyway.

PHOTO: john-spade

5. Figure out what makes you tick. If I wake up in a fog, nothing—not even my beloved coffee—gets me going like a shower. Everyone is different, so figure out what'll get you stimulated and ready for the day. A quick trip to the dog park? Meditation? Push-ups? Sure.

PHOTO: Ophelia Meerschaut, flickr

6. Lay out your clothes the night before. Even if you haven't done it since Mom made you in elementary school, planning your outfits can eliminate some serious stress. Your neighbor is probably sick of hearing you shriek "BUT I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAAARRRR," so do him and yourself a favor by picking out something cute before bed. If you're inspired to wear something different the next day, by all means, go for it, but now you'll have a backup plan that isn't the slightly dank dress you pulled out from your hamper.

PHOTO: ablight, flickr

7. Make a beauty grab-and-go bag. If you have a million products, it'll make your life so much easier if you keep a little satchel with your daily staples: Your favorite mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, whatever. You'd be amazed how many minutes (and aggravation!) you'll save when you don't have to dig through the nether regions of your vanity for that eyebrow pencil, which you SWEAR you JUST SAW.

PHOTO: DadOneNineSevenEight/niceletters, flickr

8. EAT. Do not tell me that you're "not a breakfast person." Do not pass go, do not collect $200. There are about a million studies that show the benefits of eating a solid meal in the morning and a million more that show why it's bad not to. Pick something healthy and delicious that you know will fill you up, since you have a full day ahead of you, and this is the energy that will get you through it. Plus, making yourself a nice meal and sitting down to enjoy it is a great thing to add to that routine we talked about in number three. (Ryan Gosling, you're cute, but eat your damn cereal.)

PHOTO: withwind, flickr

9. Keys, wallet, phone. REPEAT. Put a hook on the wall by the door for your keys and a little bowl or shelf for everything else. Get this doormat. Put up a neon sign. Getting locked out of your apartment, not being able to pay for lunch, or call in the case of an emergency because you weren't thinking for 0.5 seconds just really isn't cute.